HISTORY OF STEUBEN COUNTY, NEW YORK. 



113 



the infantry advanced to the attack. Gen. Longstreet's 

 Corps was hurled against the old 3d Corps in four lines, 

 while the 3d had but one. Ward's Brigade stood firm, and 

 drove the enemy back, one line after the other. Almost 

 the first man wounded in the 86th was Col. Higgins, and 

 he was sent from the field, leaving Maj. Lansing again in 

 command. The loss to the regiment here was terrible. 

 Capt. John Warner, of Company K, fell, and several other 

 officers were wounded and taken prisoners. Among the 

 latter was Lieut. Seeley, of Company K, acting adjutant. 

 The loss to the rank and file was severe. It was almost 

 dark when the lilies at the right and left gave way, and 

 orders were received for the 86th to retire. They did so in 

 line of battle, and were highly complimented by Gen. Ward, 

 in presence of the whole division, for their gallant conduct on 

 that occasion. Gen. Sickles having been wounded, Gen. 

 Birney took command of the corps. Gen. Ward of the di- 

 vision, and Col. Berdan of the brigade. 



On the next morning the 86th was placed farther to the 

 right in the lines, and near where Gen. Pickett made his 

 charge that day, but was not called on to do any work. 



On the morning of the 4th it was observed that the 

 enemy's vedettes had disappeared from our front. That 

 night a heavy rain set in, and on the morning of the 5th 

 the regiment assisted in burying the dead. 



The regiment moved forward on the 6th, with the army 

 in pursuit of the enemy, and reached Mechanicstown on the 

 7th. It passed through Frederick City on the 8th, and on 

 the 9th changed direction and moved down the Hagerstown 

 road, through Middletown, and over South Mountain. On 

 the 10th reached Millport, and on the 11th rested for the 

 night near Roxbury Mill, in line of battle. On the 14th 

 heard that the enemy had crossed the Potomac with all his 

 transportation and stores. On the 17th crossed the Poto- 

 mac at Harper's Ferry, and passed the night at Hills- 

 borough. On the 20th reached Upperville. Gen. French 

 was now in command of the 3d Corps. On the 22d 

 reached Manassas Gap. On the 23d moved up the Gap, 

 Ward's Brigade in advance. Struck the enemy near Front 

 Royal, and, after severe fighting, sent them double-quick 

 to the other side of the mountain. On the 24th retraced 

 our steps through the Gap, and on the 26th reached War- 

 renton. This ended the campaign of Gettysburg. 



It will be seen by this that on the 6th of June the 86th 

 Regiment left Falmouth in light marching order, with five 

 days', rations, expecting to return by that time, but, instead, 

 they were fifty-four days without a change of clothing ex- 

 cept such as they had with them, — a thing not very con- 

 ducive to cleanliness or health. 



Here Col. Higgins again took command, and Maj. Lan- 

 sing was ordered to Elmira, N. Y., with two officers and 

 six sergeants, on recruiting service. 



On the last day of July, 1863, the brigade moved to 

 Sulphur Springs and pitched camp, doing picket duty and 

 drilling until the 15th day of September. On the 16th 

 crossed the Rappahannock at Freedman's Ford. On the 

 17th camped near Culpepper. On the 8th of October the 

 whole division was in line, and soon was on its way back 

 to Centreville, reaching that place on the 14th. On the 

 19th moved southward again. Qn the 30th cauiped at 

 15 ' ' ' ' ^ " 



Bealton Station, and remained there until the 7th of No- 

 vember. On that day the 3d Corps moved to Kelly's 

 Ford, on the Rappahannock, in full sight of the enemy, 

 and, under a galling fire, obtained full possession of the 

 ford, capturing a large number of prisoners. On the 8th 

 advanced as far as Brandy Station, crossed the Rapidan 

 on the 26th, at Jacob's Ford, and on the 27th (Ward's 

 Brigade being in reserve) struck the rebels about six 

 o'clock A.M. About sundown the 86th and 124th New 

 York Volunteers were called upon, as the 17th Maine had 

 just been driven. The two regiments sprang quickly for- 

 ward and occupied the space vacated by the 17th Maine, 

 and checked the enemy, although their batteries rained a 

 shower of shell upon them, and the infantry endeavored to 

 drive them back. The loss of the 86th was severe, four 

 being killed and thirty-two wounded, Col. Higgins among 

 the latter. 



That night the enemy retired from the field. On the 

 29th advanced to near Mine Run, and found the enemy 

 heavily intrenched. The picket line crossed the run during 

 the night, and an assault was ordered, but finally counter- 

 manded. They were then ordered to retrace their steps, 

 which was done, crossing the Rapidan at Culpepper Mine 

 Ford, being pressed hard by the rebel cavalry. The army 

 moved to near Brandy Station, and went into winter 

 quarters. At this point Lieut.-Col. Lansing and party 

 again joined their regiment. 



The loss of the regiment up to this time had been very 

 severe ; there was hardly a company that had the same 

 officers that started with them, and some of them none. 

 Company A had none; Company B one; Company C none; 

 Company D one, on detached service ; Company E two, 

 one of whom was detached ; Company F one ; Company G 

 one ; Company H none ; Company I one ; Company K 

 none. 



In the field and staff" it was the same. B. L. Hi2:":ins 

 now colonel, badly wounded and in the hospital. He was 

 mustered out. J. H. Lansing was lieutenant-colonel ; M. 

 B. Staffbrd was major (formerly lieutenant of Company 

 F) ; James Cherry was adjutant (formerly sergeant of 

 Co. I) ; D. F. Brown was quartermaster. Company A 

 was commanded by Capt. Jerry Ryan, promoted from the^ 

 ranks ; Company B, by Lieut. Booth, promoted from the 

 ranks ; Company C, by Capt. Robert Barton, promoted 

 from sergeant ; Company D, by Lieut. N. H. Vincent, 

 promoted from sergeant; Company E, by Lieut. Geo. A. 

 Packer, original ; Company F, by Capt. H. G. Harrower, 

 original ; Company G, by Capt. N. S. Baker, promoted from 

 lieutenant; Company H, by Lieut. Stone, promoted from 

 private ; Company I, by Capt. Foster P. Wood, promoted 

 from second lieutenant ; Company K, by Capt. John Finney, 

 promoted from the ranks. 



The companies averaged from ten to forty non-commis- 

 sioned officers and privates, the whole regiment numbering 

 less than three hundred for duty ; although many more 

 were carried on the rolls, such as the sick and wounded i4 

 hospitals, and those on detached service. 



During the month of December, 1863, an order was issued 

 from Washington, that if those soldiers who had enlisted 

 for three years and whose term of service had about ex- 



